Wife having chest pains

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bwdearing
bwdearing Member Posts: 8
edited July 2018 in Stage IV/Metastatic Breast Cancer ONLY

My wife was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer in March. She has liver and bone Mets. She has been on taxol, taxotere, hepecine and projeta. All blood counts have been improving.

About a month ago she started experiencing pain and pressure. Location is under folds of her breast and lower sternum. We have mentioned to onco multiple times they have not acted concern. The pressure and pain have been more steady over past few weeks. Prior the pressure and pain would come and go. The bone metas are not in these areas, so we are confused on what could cause this issue. Other than this pressure and pain the chemo has gone well.

Any thoughts or ideas what could be causing such issues.

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  • blainejennifer
    blainejennifer Member Posts: 1,848
    edited July 2018

    How's her digestive system doing? Is she regular? The various chemos and pain meds can cause constipation, and that can cause exactly the kind of pain you are referring to.

    I turned lactose intolerant during Taxol, and it took about six months to figure out what was going on. Inflamed intestines can hurt.

    I'd look in the digestive realm, for starters. Maybe go on a very bland diet, and take enough fiber supplements to keep the machine moving along. Also, keep the fluids going. On chemo, you need to drink a little more than you would actually like to, just to keep the system flushed, and enough fluid in the bowel system to keep from granite pooping.

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  • susan_02143
    susan_02143 Member Posts: 7,209
    edited July 2018

    And to add to blainejennifer's comments, there is no reason you can't visit your primary doctor! Sometimes specialists can only "see" their specialty and it is useful to visit a doctor who looks at the whole system. Best.

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  • grrifff
    grrifff Member Posts: 104
    edited July 2018

    I too became lactose intolerant on Taxol. Now on A/C chemo it’s a bit better but still having digestive issues. Small, bland meals help. Also during a CT scan looking for liver mets they found my spleen was enlarged. This caused pain and pressure right under my left breast. Hoping your wife feels better soon-Jill

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  • lulubee
    lulubee Member Posts: 1,493
    edited July 2018

    I hope your wife is better now. She should probably consider an echocardiogram to check for pericardial effusion. I had chest pains and increasing pressure in the winter of 2017, and two doctors looked at my chest X-rays and totally missed it. The very next day I was in ER in a mess and I demanded an echocardiogram, which found a LITER of fluid in my pericardium. I had an emergency pericardiocentesis to drain it, which saved my life. The fluid was full of BC cells so it was metastasis. I have an echo every 6 months now and so far my current BC treatment has kept it from recurring in my pericardium.


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  • bwdearing
    bwdearing Member Posts: 8
    edited July 2018

    Thanks for the feedback. Very helpful.

    She started on Taxol moved to Taxotere. The pressure and pain did not start till the the move to Taxotere. She been doing a lot shakes, maybe something tolactose intolerance.

    She goes for scans next Weds and meets with Ocno on Fri. Hopefully scans show no progression. We plan to press Dr for his thoughts. I’ll pass along your all’s advice to my wife.

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